A BUNCH OF REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND TO THE DEPTHS: BAST | BYZANTHIAN NECKBEARD | MASTICATED | HANK CHINASKI

What’s this all about, HUH?So, next weekend, all kinds of chaos will be making its way to the dainty shores of our island home. It’ll be time for those who are faint of heart, hearing and heaviness to stay at home with their cup of tea and antiques roadshow re-runs.

Rest assured, and rest you will need, that this is going to be a landmark show for the Channel Islands. Yes, not just for Jersey. This is a collection of local, pan-island musicians, and a band from the mainland who, I am pretty sure, will become a big thing in the future of heavy music.

Since I heard about this show and the line up, I’ve had something to look forward to in the bleak and miserable opening months of 2016. It is going to be worth every penny, every second of ringing ears and every drop of beer spilt on the night.

I pinky promise that I am not exaggerating when I claim to believe that Bast will be a monolith in the metal scene in years to come. This London outfit are bringing a very original sound to town with their brew of doom-ridden blackened metal. It is truly a thing to behold! It is really carving out a sound that I have not heard before. We’ve all heard the endless amount of good old doom and black metal that comes out on a year by year basis, but this is trail blazing. Think what Deafheaven did with their mashup of Black Metal and Shoegaze. I really think that Bast should, and eventually WILL be drawing the same amount of attention from the music press.

When I stuck on their debut ‘Spectres’ on Bandcamp, I immediately put some dosh forward so that I could stick it on my iPod. It was actually one of the last things that I downloaded onto that thing before I decided to use my phone for what now seems to be absolutely everything. What a fitting send off for a device which served me very well. Anyway. Since then, I’ve done a lot of listening to that record and it has been time well spent.

Bast have been burning the midnight oil recently, having made appearances at a wide range of European festivals (Damnation, Bloodstock, Roadburn) and will be sharing a roster with the likes of Godflesh, Electric Wizard, Pelican and Conan at Desertfest in London at the end of April. We’re going to be very fortunate to have them over in the Channel Islands.

Return Of The Beard

What good would this show be if TDR didn’t ask the best of breed in doom that the Channel Islands has to offer? I’ve not caught Byzanthian Neckbeard since their show last year with Conan - and what a performance that was!

They recently received a nomination for the Global Metal Apocalypse awards for Breakthrough UK band, and I’ll be damned if it wasn’t well earned.

This really adds to a hell of a line up, and I’m looking forward to hearing all of their material - new and old.

Tech Death And Post-Hardcore Riff Goodness

The lineup is rounded up nicely with the addition of two well established Jersey groups.

I always enjoy Masticated’s sets - the time and effort that goes into nailing their highly polished technical set is always well worth it. They’re full of energy and always deliver. I haven’t caught these guys in a while so it will be good to see what they’ve been up to.

Hank Chinaski will also be playing their first set of 2016. You can expect a series of emotional and aggressive ups, downs and all sorts of riffs in between as they deliver a cathartic release of all of life’s misery.

Support That Local Scene!

If what I’ve just been going on about isn’t good enough, then I’m not quite sure how I am going to get through to you. What is most important is that this show supports local artists, as well as giving us some exposure to the music scene in the UK. The more we can get UK bands and revellers chatting about our beautiful rock, the better. This can only do good for the prosperity and longevity of our scene. We are all in this together.

Been feeling nihilistic recently? Staring into the void that is daily life, 9-5 filled with bastard co-workers, bosses and deadlines? Well, I can assure you that there is no other way that screams FUCK YOU to the void, to the pointlessness and sisyphean nature of it all, than going out and having a good time.

Time to stop complaining that nothing ever happens in Jersey, and actually get of your arse out of that shithole Chambers, and get down to the Townhouse.

There is going to be beer and there is going to be music. Loud, heavy, new and interesting music, with good company to boot.